Child Abuse and the Law

As the director of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), I took a great deal of interest in a recent article titled “Family Left Shaken in Molestation Case,” Oct. 7.

I cannot provide the facts of this case because of confidentiality statutes as well as my belief that children do not deserve to have the details of their abuse and neglect made public. However, I would like to clear up some possible misconceptions concerning the laws DCFS operates under.

DCFS does not investigate cases where children are abused by unknown persons who live outside the home. DCFS does not take children into protective custody for “playing doctor.”

DCFS staff do make all reasonable efforts to inform parents that their children have been taken into custody. Whenever children are taken into protective custody, the reasons for the detention are reviewed by a Dependency Court judicial officer within 72 hours. The judicial officer determines whether the facts of the case require continued detention for a child’s safety.

At the detention hearing, parents are given a copy of the petition which sets forth all of the reasons a child was taken into custody. Parents and children are provided with attorneys at court. Parents may also hire a private attorney to represent them in Dependency Court.

We have reviewed the actions taken by DCFS in this matter. DCFS staff acted appropriately and we stand behind them 100%.

PETER DIGRE

Director, Department of Children

and Family Services

HAL BROWN

Vice Chairman, Commission

for Children and Families

County of Los Angeles